Brabus Delivers the Goods

By Motoring Channel Staff - 21/10/04

You've got to hand it to German tuning houses for their sheer tenacity to outdo each other.

The Brabus Viano V8 is another extreme example of how to make a seemingly pedestrian vehicle into something that Schumacher would be proud of.

First, take the Mercedes Viano commercial van that many couriers and tradesmen would be familiar with, and then instead of optioning for the top-of-the-range 160kW (218hp) 3.2-litre V6, head on over to the Brabus factory in Bottrop, not far from Essen, and ask about the V8 option.

For the tidy sum of €115,250, which is about $200,000 in Australian currency, you can get the Brabus Viano V8, which'll help speed up delivery times considerably.

Thanks to its heavily modified 6.0-litre V8, the Brabus Viano will hit 100km/h from standstill in 6.2 seconds and is electronically limited to a top speed of 245km/h.

As Brabus puts it, the Viano V8 "no-doubt occupies the top spot in the minivan category".

Mated to a modified 5-speed automatic transmission, the Viano V8's powerplant displaces some 6.0-litres, or 6034cc.

The engine has been enlarged to more than 6.0-litres by way of increasing the cylinder bore and stroke, and a custom crankshaft, new cylinder heads with larger intake and exhaust valves plus custom camshafts were also factored in.

The result is an almighty 313kW (426hp) @ 5400rpm, while a momentous 621Nm of torque will squeeze occupants into their seat cushions @ 4100rpm. And remember, this is van, not a sports car.

As well as the reprogrammed engine electronics that deal with the new componentry and improved gas flow, Brabus also tailor makes a stainless-steel sport exhaust system with custom catalytic convertors and twin chrome-plated dual exhaust pipes on either side.

Brabus has an excellent reputation in Europe as one of the premier Mercedes tuning houses, and to just tinker with the engine wouldn't have been in accordance with its philosophy of adapting all aspects of a motor vehicle.

Therefore, testing the Viano V8 at the Mercedes-owned Papenburg proving grounds in Germany was a must for Brabus, and the company is happy to report that its flagship performance van passed a number of tests with flying colours. These included endurance testing, a handling test and even runs on a high-speed oval circuit.

According to Brabus: "On the latter [high-speed oval] the extremely powerful minivan had to demonstrate not just what performance it was capable of but also and especially its aerodynamic stability and problem-free handling at high speeds."

New suspension was fitted to cope with the rigours of high speed testing and was calibrated to suit the high torque loads of the van's new V8 powerplant.

Other chassis upgrades include bigger brakes - now 355mm discs with 6-piston aluminium calipers up front and 350mm discs clamped by 4-piston calipers aft.

New wheels are also part of the Brabus Viano V8's repertoire of go-fast goodies, measuring 18-inches in diametre and shod with 245/45 ZR18 aspect ratio Yokohama sports tyres.

To remain stable and offer decent cornering grip at speeds of over 200km/h, the Viano V8 needed to be aerodynamically sound, so Brabus came up with a bodykit to suit these needs. The front apron/bumper - complete with über-chic carbon lip - is new and Brabus says it reduces lift on the front axle. It also adds fog lights and twin xenon high beams.

New side skirts incorporate LED lights to aid ingress and egress at night and give it a lower stance, while subtly flared wheel arches house the fatter wheels and a new rear apron section has tailored cut-outs to accommodate the beefy quad exhaust system.

In addition to the all powertrain and exterior upgrades, German tuning house Brabus also reworks the interior to reflect the Viano's improved performance. It features a "precisioncrafted from Brabus Mastik leather and Alcantara" interior, plus a sports steering wheel, lots of aluminium accents and a 280km/h speedometer. Brabus also offers a custom multimedia system for those who want all the latest gadgets, incorporating a PC with Internet connection and a DVD player.

Your current van not cutting the mustard? Always being overtaken at the traffic lights or on the highway? If you've got a couple of hundred thousand dollars sitting around, the Brabus Viano V8 would make for the ultimate trade-up, and it looks great in black too.

Brabus has quite a history tuning Mercedes vehicles, with many of them documented by the Guinness Book of World Records. For instance, the Brabus E V12 won the title of the world's fastest street-legal sedan, the T V12 took home the fastest wagon accolade and the M V12 that of the fastest SUV. And now the fastest van could be next, thanks to the introduction of the high-velocity Brabus Viano V8.